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Welcome to Close Call Sports. CCS objectively tracks and analyzes close and controversial calls in sport, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game. Developed from The Left Field Corner: MLB Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (UEFL), whose purpose is to objectively track and analyze umpire ejections, video instant replay reviews and their corresponding calls, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game.

With two out and one on, Cardinals batter Yadier Molina took a 3-0 fastball from D-Backs pitcher Tyler Skaggs as Cardinals baserunner R2 Carlos Beltran attempted to steal third base as Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero attempted to throw him out. Replays indicate D-Backs third baseman Martin Prado caught the ball and appeared to tag Beltran's right foot with his glove prior to Beltran arriving at third; because Diamondbacks Manager Kirk Gibson argued the call at the time of the event, Trammell's ejection during a pitching change falls under the classification of USC-NEC - no exemption applies, the call was irrecusable.* At the time of the ejection, the Diamondbacks were leading, 6-5. The Diamondbacks ultimately won the contest, 7-6.

This is the 64th ejection of 2013.
This the Diamondbacks' 4th ejection of 2013, 2nd in the NL West (LAD 5; ARI 4; SF 2; SD 1; COL 0).
This is Alan Trammell's first ejection since September 20, 2005 (Lance Barksdale; QOC = U).
This is Jordan Baker's first ejection since April 9 (Carlos Carrasco; QOC = U).

Looked like Prado tagged Beltran twice...if an umpire sees that a fielder tries to tag once and thinks he missed the tag and tries again, the umpire will usually give a safe call...I'm not saying Baker was right on this one but just saying the actions of the fielder didn't help.

I dont play in the UEFL (a little too jock-sniffing for me but to each his own), but I find it rather silly you dont count this as an incorrect call when CLEARLY all this sh*t stemmed from an obvious miss.

I find it "rather silly" that you utilize a pusillanimous moniker such as "GuestUmp" on a board that you suspect of "jock-sniffing" - while making "constructive criticism". BTW, that is about as doltish a term as "umpire apologist" or "game face".

Jordan is going to have a job next year. It would be interesting if he stops with the gum thing. One of the reasons his was in AA for so long for his perceived immaturity. What counts in the long run is who likes you.. and he is beloved by the MLB higher ups!

Use some common sense. An umpire has no way of knowing that he missed a call until he sees a replay, which he won't see until after he leaves the field following the game, so naturally while he is on the field he is going to assume he got it right.

UEFL Rule 6-2-b-5-b: "Repeat visit ejections: If a manager, coach or player leaves the dugout or his position to argue a call with an umpire, this is considered one team visit and argument. If a person is ejected during a repeat visit (second or subsequent) to argue the same play that he or a teammate, manager or coach argued during the first visit, this ejection shall be considered Unsportsmanlike-NEC under Rule 6-2-b-5."

If someone sees that you missed it upon confirmation of the monitor and you still inform that you made the call correct, the following will happen.a) Auto-EJ [which looks bad if you're wrong].b) Going to get scorched post-game by the manager.c) Reputation. You're going to get a reputation as someone with zero accountability.

I'm going to get a reputation as someone who doesn't believe everything a manager tells me. I don't know if he saw a replay or not. He could be lying. I'm not going to say I missed a call just because a manager claims he saw a replay that says so.

Didn't know about the gum thing until today. Disrespectful for sure; I wonder what Mr. Baker would do if a head groundskeeper asked him not so politely to stop tossing his gum on the field? Wonder if a groundskeeper has ever been ejected?

You have to understand angle of view before you criticize an umpire's call. He was blocked from the tap on the foot, the glove looks like it goes up along but not touching the leg until it taps him on the upper leg. Then what happens is from the angle the ump had is the appearance of a double tag (as Chris Silvestri accurately explains).

DD4D, I didn't mean to imply anything to you specifically. (Actually, my comment was copied from a Facebook post I made earlier and I didn't edit it well, it seems.)

It is surprising (actually scary) how many people have no clue how important positioning is. I think the worst offenders at this are broadcasters (they usually have no idea what they are talking about). The whole viewing of a replay that shows a different angle and then saying "how can he miss that"? Angle, position and real time vs every other angle, zoom control and frame by frame.

I know, no worries. I can see how my response might have seemed abrupt or glib, but it was more of a matter-of-fact statement. Nailing the right angle for each call is something I am working on for both baseball and soccer. And I am a long way from professional sports. =)

Jordan Baker is rapidly taking over for CB Bucknor as the worst umpire in baseball. I umpired HS and small college ball for about 15 years and chewed gum but I had the decency to carry a sandwich bag with me to put the spent gum in, not toss it on the field. After some of the other blown calls have seen over the past few weeks by a variety of umpires, Angel Hernandez is looking better and better.

Also, because chew is made of small particles (at least the ground up stuff), it pretty quickly breaks down and disappears in the grass. This is gonna sound dumb, but what happens if a ball hits a wad of that and it affects the hop or a throw from the outfield?